Strawberry Jam

3kg strawberries
3kg white sugar
Juice from 1/2 a lemon

** see below

Hull and half strawberries

Stir sugar through strawberries and leave for 1-2 hour while sugar softens the fruit

Add lemon juice then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fruit is soft.
Remove 1/3 of fruit. Set aside.

Cook remaining mixture until fruit is mostly dissolved and jam coats the back of a spoon.

Divide reserved fruit between the steralised jars then fill with jam.

**Update

After a bit more experience I have changed how I make jam now :D

I use almost equal parts of sugar to strawberries but with slightly less sugar

Hull and half strawberries

On low heat in the oven warm the sugar through in a shallow tray

Place strawberries in saucepan on the stove with a couple of table spoons of water to stop them sticking and cook until the strawberries start to break down and soften.

Add lemon juice and sugar and continue to cook until setting point is reached.

Setting point is reach when temperature hits 220 on a candy thermometer, this is the easiest method and it's well worth the $10 to buy a candy thermometer.

or

You can place two saucers in the freezer before you start making the jam and to test for setting point place a teaspoon of the mixture onto a chilled saucer, return to freezer for 30 or so seconds, then if the surface 'wrinkles' when you push it with your finger your jam is ready.

Notes : I used 1.85kg strawberries and 1.85kg sugar

Butter Cookies

500g flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
200g sugar
Dash of vanilla
250g chilled butter

Combine all ingredients and mix to form a smooth dough.
Refrigerate for 30-40min
Roll out to a thickness of about 3mm and cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
Place on a greased baking tray and bake at 175 for 8-12 mins

Russian Fudge

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup condensed milk

125g butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon golden syrup

Place all ingredients in a very large microwave safe bowl

Microwave for 15 minutes stirring every 3 minutes

Allow to cool slightly

Then beat with an electric beater until thick

Poor into a lined tin to set

Add vanilla or nuts when beating at the end if you wish

Note : This boils over every time in my microwave even when I use the biggest bowl I have, it only ever boils over the once though.

Also I have noted that its a more creamier fudge if you under cook it but by only a minute or two, no more in case it does not set, suppose it depends on your microwave. If I cook in mine for the full 15mins it comes out as a more crumbly fudge and we prefer it more creamy.

Edmonds Cookery Book